State of Maine, Office of Governor Paul LePage

How can Maine state government operate more efficiently?

Maine should adopt a drug testing policy for state aid recipients.

Is Maine planning on adopting a drug testing policy for state aid recipients? Florida, Kentucky, and Missouri, are the first states that will require drug testing when applying for welfare. If it's okay to drug test people who work for their money, why not everyone else? If they can afford to spend their money on drugs, they shouldn't be collecting welfare and getting free insurance benifits while destroying their bodies. That money should be for taking care of basic human needs. I would welcome this testing with open arms.

I believe anyone who is not working and receiving State aid who is suspicious for drug use "most people can tell if someone is high" should have to do random mandatory testing. Anyone who can afford to drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes should not be allowed State aid as well. Give up your non-necessary habits for the children you should be providing for.

The only problem with this idea, which I like, is that Drug Addiction is considered a disease. This becomes a huge conflict of interest and goes against the way these matters are treated in the courts and by the State.

There was an article just written that showed that there is by far less drug abuse in the population that receives "welfare" than there is in the general population. As noted below, millions of dollars was spent by Florida to prove only 2 per cent tested tested positive for drugs. The idea of drug testing is punitive and intended to humiliate. Those who are disabled and are on SS disability go through **** to receive disability. Most start out receiving only about $550. a month. Many of the elderly who receive food stamps only receive a token amount of ten dollars to qualify them for fuel assistance. I would like to know why these people, whose lives are hard as it is, should have to go through the humiliation of being drug tested.

Can someone provide the data to develop a baseline using prior calendar year 2010 or 2011?
Total cost of drug testing = (drug test + administration fees) x the number provided?
Total cost of welfare = (level of welfare provided) x the number provided?
How many welfare applicants would have to fail for the state to begin saving money?
What agencys would pick up those who have failed the drug testing to provide some level of subsistence?
Would these be state agencys and therefore receive state funding or receive funding through donations?
Would those who fail the drug testing be eligible for rehab, and if so at what cost?
How does welfare compare to minimum wage?
Are there programs for welfare recepients to provide services at minimum wage with minimal training? Would there be a savings?
I would be happy to sit with anyone over coffee to run the numbers to see if the idea is viable.
Finally, if drug testing makes financial sense, then it should apply to all beneficiaries of the state including elected and nominated officals.

Florida spent $178 million to test all their aid recipients. 98% were clean. 2% tested positive for drug use. That "saved" the state $60,000.

So they ended up paying $178 million plus the aid they paid out for 98% of their aid recipients. Sounds to me like they should do away with the program since it's costing the tax payer that much MORE money.

I'd rather the millions we would spend to catch a very few spent somewhere else. Like education so our children don't grow up to receive aid because they can't get the jobs they need to support their families.